Medical Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Chicago

Most people have unwavering trust in doctors, nurses, hospitals, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers. While most of these medical professionals do their best to provide the best standard of care to their patients, it is a sad truth that some can be negligent. When people’s health is concerned, this negligence can be deadly.

If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries or wrongful death due to medical misdiagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation.

Medical Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Are you or a loved one suffering from receiving the wrong treatment due to a medical misdiagnosis? You may qualify for compensation to help cover your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Contact Susan E. Loggans & Associates P.C. to speak to a medical malpractice lawyer today.

Since 1977, our law firm has represented everyday people involved in medical malpractice cases. Renowned attorney Susan E. Loggans was able to get a payout of $15.7 million for a medical malpractice case—and we want the opportunity to get a similarly positive verdict for your family. We accept clients throughout Chicagoland and adjoining counties, including DuPage County, Will County, Cook County, Kankakee County, Kane County, and Grundy County.

Your health is of the utmost importance. If you’ve received an incorrect diagnosis due to medical error or negligence, you should call (312) 588-9773 and get in touch with an experienced medical misdiagnosis attorney. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions

A missed diagnosis and resulting delayed medical treatment can be the difference between life and death.

The following medical conditions are the subject of many types of misdiagnosis claims:

  • Lung cancer
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Brain tumors
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Breast cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Prostate cancer

Reasons for Medical Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosis can result from multiple factors. The following are common reasons for a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.

Misidentified Symptoms

Most medical conditions have visible, recognizable symptoms. If a doctor is unable to identify and respond to health symptoms, it could lead to serious injuries. For instance, if a patient is complaining of a pain in the lungs and is coughing up blood, the doctor should refer the patient to a lung cancer specialist. If the doctor does not do so and fails to provide an accurate diagnosis, the patient will suffer unnecessarily.

Misread Test Results

Primary care doctors and specialists encounter numerous diagnostic test results every week, such as CT-scans, X-rays, PET scans, and blood tests. It is possible for a medical professional to misread or mix up test results of patients. Failure to read a test result correctly can result in a  delayed diagnosis that worsens an already serious medical condition.

Failure to Order or Follow Up on Testing

The Agency for Healthcare Research Quality reported that 44 % of diagnostic errors occur because of a failure to read, order, or follow up on test results. Some common mistakes are failing to obtain results of the lab tests, failure to contact patients with results, declining to order appropriate tests as indicated by symptoms. Lab results can save a person’s life. If a doctor does not uphold that agreement with a patient, it can result in a doctor’s misdiagnosis.

Limits to Misdiagnosis Damages

A patient may file a claim for medical malpractice with a misdiagnosis attorney. If a claim is viable and upheld in court, the patient may be entitled to compensation. However, there are certain limitations on wrong diagnosis damages.

Firstly, in a medical misdiagnosis lawsuit, the amount of damages is not measured by the severity of the patient’s condition. It is measured on the comparison of when someone was properly diagnosed and what their health would have been if they were properly diagnosed right away.

The second limit to misdiagnosis cases is time; in other words, it must fall under the statute of limitations. For a medical malpractice lawsuit to be valid, it must be filed within two years of the malpractice. A loophole does exist for this limitation, however. The two-year period does not begin until the patient realizes they’ve been misdiagnosed by medical experts.

Doctor consulting patient medical record with nurse

Susan Loggans Law

Medical misdiagnosis cases are incredibly common. According to John Hopkins School of Medicine, diagnosis-related payments were the most frequent out of 25 years of medical malpractice claim payouts. These payments amounted to a whopping $38.8 billion between the years of 1986-2010. If you suspect you or a loved one suffered as a result of not receiving a correct diagnosis from a medical professional, you could be entitled to compensation.

It is in your best interest to get legal representation as soon as possible. Contact Susan E. Loggans & Associates P.C. and talk to a personal injury attorney today.

Let us evaluate your claim and see if you are viable for a payout. The attorneys at Susan E. Loggans & Associates P.C. have years of experience in diagnosis-related cases, and have even had a case with a $15.7 million dollar payout.

You have a right to your health and way of life. Call (312) 588-9773 or schedule an appointment online using our form below for your no-obligation, free consultation today.